09/08/2009 - News
Where Do You Go for Routine Medical Care?
By: June Chen, MD
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Retail clinics are clinics within retail stores, such as grocery stores or pharmacies, which provide simple acute care and preventive medicine services. Routine medical care offered at these retail clinics includes care for common symptoms such as cough, immunizations, and routine blood tests. According to an article published in the September 1, 2009 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, retail clinics may be an accessible and affordable option for many Americans seeking routine medical care.
Investigators assessed 982 retail clinics operating as of August 2008 in 33 states throughout the United States. They found that over 88% of these retail clinics were located in urban areas, and nearly half of all retails clinics offering routine medical care were located in just 5 states – Florida, California, Texas, Minnesota, and Illinois. The routine medical care services offered at these retail clinics included sore throat treatment, treatment of skin conditions, immunizations, pregnancy testing, and screening for cholesterol or diabetes. Nearly all of these retail clinics accepted private insurance and Medicare fee-for-service.
According to this study, approximately 10% of the total U.S. population and 13.4% of the urban U.S. population lives within a 5-minute drive of a retail clinic. And, nearly 29% of the total U.S. population and nearly 36% of the urban U.S. population live within a 10-minute drive of a retail clinic. The investigators conclude that retail clinics are well-positioned to provide routine medical care for a substantial portion of the urban U.S. population.
Source:
Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:315-320.
Created on: 09/08/2009
Reviewed on: 09/08/2009
Reviewed on: 09/08/2009
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